


The moment

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Actor Louis, Alpha Harry, Alpha Zayn, Beta Niall, But truthfully he's the only prepared in a crisis, Chef Liam, Elevators, Fireworks, Journalist Zayn, Love Confessions, M/M, Niall just eats food alot, Omega Liam, Omega Louis, Pining Zayn, Touchy-Feely, What does Harry even do? its up to you?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 21:06:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3543773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The moment when Liam decides that he will stop pining after the Alpha next door since he is 1) out of his league, 2) has a steady live in boyfriend and 3) is way out of his league. The moment when Zayn decided that the omega that lives across from him is the perfect mate and he vows to woo (Louis's words) and mate him for life. The moment when Harry becomes unknowingly a cockblock and has his affectionate nature causes others to get jealous. The moment when Louis has stupid ideas and causes problems that almost gets everyone evicted. And the moment when Niall just likes food and hangs out with everyone to drink beer. </p>
            </blockquote>





	The moment

**Author's Note:**

> I literally do not own anything. This also my first oneshot. Like I'm a fic writer (one that sucks yeah at updating and does better reading). Ask me for recommendation and i will give but never thought i would write a one shot. 
> 
> Thank you Liam for making me want Omega you so much and Pining Zayn that i actually wrote a 28 page full story in 2 days. :D
> 
> I'm really proud of myself for even doing this.

-

The moment happens when Liam has finished grocery shopping, he’s late to make dinner for him and Harry (not because he’s an omega, but because Harry burnt water making tea once), when he jogs to catch the elevator door and ends up in a 5x5 area with the hot guy from 5b. Like smoking hot, like Liam would have to set himself on fire to be as hot as the guy in 5b and it would still only be 1/10 of the sex on legs that this person (alien? because that jaw line isn’t real) protrudes on a daily basis. The whole building calls him Hot 5b. unoriginal but hey it works, and he currently is doing this crinkly eye smile that Liam only has a hope of trying to not awkwardly smile too wide with his bright white teeth. 

Hot 5b doesn’t even bother asking him what floor he lives on he just presses the 5 button and they both go up. 

Oh yeah, did he forget to mention he lives right across (door across door) that everyday. He sees Hot 5b in boxers, sexy outfits, joggers, and once in a towel, when he picks up the daily paper on his door welcome mat everyday. Yeah, sometimes Liam loves waking up at 10am to see him grab the paper and just stretch….

Anyway, Hot 5b is wearing his regular leather jacket, cool comic book shirt that has a Batman symbol on it (something Liam wishes he could own not for the scent but for the actual symbol because he’s a total nerd like that), ripped skinny jeans, and some rugged combat boots. All in all he looks like usual, hot. 

And Liam sighs because not matter how nice Hot 5b is to others, he has a really cute boyfriend (omega if it stings any worse) that has been living with him since he moved in 5 years ago. So the other unspoken rule is too look but not touch Hot 5b or fear the wrath of being caught in a Alpha/Omega bond problem. Even the 10’s of 10’s in this building have respected this, so Liam tries not to scream when Hot 5b actually touches his arm full of paper bag groceries. 

“Hello? You okay?” comes out Hot 5b smooth pancake butter voice, he looks concerned for Liam which almost makes him blush when realizes that the hand still hasn’t let go of his arrow tattooed covered arm. 'Skin to skin’ he thinks and feels when it actually burns for a minute like they just made a connection, the ones in he always sees in Harry’s stupid romcoms on Sunday (he calls it RomCom Sunday, Liam thinks they shouldn’t devote a day to romcoms and only watch Love Actually 3 times in a row).  He stares into Hot 5b's eyes for a while only to snap out of it when he realizes that the other man has concern in his. Stuttering he tries to make a come back.

“Y-yeah. Why? What’s happened?” it comes out cracked in the middle and high in the end. Liam swears that he’s never talking again because of this, at least not now

“The lift has broke down, you seemed sort of dazed, you sure you’re alright? I’ve called Louis, and he spoke to maintenance guy, we’ll be back on our way in like 5, yeah?”

Liam only smiles in response as he no longer trusts his voice. Embarrassed beyond belief, he briefly remembers that Louis is the name of cute Omega that lives with Hot 5B. He then subconsciously takes a step further away from the Alpha only to be held still. Liam startles visibly when the Alpha takes one of his bag away. Like flinching and almost flailing away like he been burnt. Nicely Hot 5b ignores this and Liam feels a little more attracted to him because of it. 

“You look like you’ve been carrying that for a while, your hands must be tired. I’ll take one.” Hot 5b adds a small smile that has Liam averting eyes as he nods. One more minute in here and he would have exploded from the butterflies in his stomach erupting through his chest. Fortunately, Liam stays alive and whole as the lift moves in the next 30 seconds and he’s out on his floor walking towards his door. 

He has just set his bag down, waiting for Hot 5b to walk a little faster (though that lazy swagger walk he has is quite endearing) when Hot 5b’s door opens up and his cute boyfriend leaning against the door frame wearing nothing but a large black shirt. Seriously, Liam doubts he’s wearing underwear, its just good that it a black shirt and not white because that shows everything.

Liam admires him for a second (taking in the baby blue eyes and flawless skin, with wind swept hair) before the lad starts yelling at Hot 5B.

“ZAYN! YOU SKINNY TWIG WALK FASTER! I’M HUNGRY AND FORGOT WHERE I PUT THE CREDIT CARD FOR TAKE OUT!” yells, Louis. He nods once in Liam’s direction before walking further back into the apartment (door open like he doesn’t have a care in the world) and returning seconds later with a home phone. Hot 5b, newly dubbed Zayn jogs a little to Liam and goes to hand him his other paper bag; when Liam’s apartment door opens revealing Harry.

Naked Harry… Harry that’s rubbing his eyes like a child muttering (“food, Li”) while his adult tattooed covered body is all out for the neighbors to see. The two neighbors he probably won’t try to see again for fear of death by embarrassment now.

The hallways turns quiet as Liam gapes at the naked thing he calls his best friend. He side glances Zayn’s face which is eerily blank. especially so when he barely reacts when Harry grabs a banana out of Zayn’s bag (well rather his, but whatever) and starts pealing it.  

“ ‘ello. My names Harry.” He says with such Cheshire charm that Liam almost melts as low voice mellows him out; Harry is one of the most calm people he knows, so even in this situation the tension kind of just falls away, at least for him that is. 

“Names Louis, love. Quite nice day for a naked wake up call I guess.” says the large shirted man as he glances at Liam’s best mates body. Liam’s sighs as he realizes that this is not a dream and that Zayn is still not showing any emotion since Harry showed everyone is penis. Sometimes its also his expressions that make Liam wonder if he’s an alien; he can go from extremely expressive (he once watched him have a facial only conversation with Louis in the mail area once) to blank in under a minute, its kind of cool.

“It’s quite nice, Lou. I don’t like feeling constricted by those silly things we call clothes anyway. Maybe you should try it one day?” And its when Harry’s eyebrows start wiggling and his smile goes from welcome to flirty that Liam remembers that the people behind him are dating and that he should get Harry inside before his face gets ripped off by an angry Alpha. So, he grabs the bag from Zayn and pushes it into Harry arms, pulls up the other from the ground beside his feet and also pushes it into Harry’s arms. He calls out a weak goodbye and have a nice day as he rushes to close and lock the door. Catching a glimpse of an annoyed uplift in Zayn’s pursed lips. 

Well that's the last time he’ll speak to them…

 

—

 

And Liam’s not wrong, well until the last week of the month that is.

When he comes home to Harry dressed in nothing but boxer briefs (the ones Liam got him for Christmas to wear around guests. “yes, even your mum”), talking to Louis of 5b on their three seater couch. 

He almost screams from the unexpectedness of it all, Louis is also sitting there too in his boxers. Liam toes off his shoes before going to sit in the arm chair diagonal from the couch. Louis looks good and is also fairly tattooed to Liam’s surprise. Liam doesn’t know what it is about the lad, but he kind of likes the mischievous vibe in his eyes. He kind of understands why Zayn likes him: he’s pretty, must be funny (in a cheeky humor way he gets from the eye twinkle), and looks like a grand old time to be around. Overall, the romcom perfect mate…ugh Liam was starting to sound like Sunday Harry. 

“Hello, Liam”, says Louis, Liam smiles as he waves giving Harry a “What the fuck?” look, that has said lad ahhing. He even does the hand hitting palm like a gavel thing. ‘Only Harry’ he thinks, ‘Only Harry’

“Li, Lou took me up on my offer, well not really since we’re not complete naked, your one rule is boxers/briefs on with guests around and I respect that yeah. So, Lou and I decided to watch some T.V. and wait for you to come home since it’s taco night.” He looks so earnest about it that Liam doesn’t have the heart to tell him that the rule wasn’t boxers, but sweatpants or shorts.  

Liam would be stunned if this wasn’t Harry, but it is Harry, so all he does is nod fondly, and looks at how Louis is smiling endearingly at Harry who is nodding to himself pleased for remembering this (wrong) detail.

Liam feels like this situation couldn't get any weirder, so he briefly makes his escape to his room to get changed (in a shirt and pants like a regular person) and the two barely dressed men in his apartment even for a little. It’s when he comes back out and sees the blonde from 5a sitting in the armchair wearing also nothing but white hearted ‘Kiss me I’m Irish’ boxers that he really questions what really going on. He was literally gone for 5 minutes.

“Niall, why are you here mate?” Liam sighs as he enters the kitchen preparing to fry various toppings/ingredients and make endless amounts handmade salsa/guac. Not that he doesn’t love Ni, its just that the man is a bottomless pit, they’ll probably order a pizza before he leaves to give him a late night snack…if he leaves and doesn’t stay for breakfast that is. 

“Louis invited me, said Harry asked him for dinner, I’m always down for food so he told me to come to 5b. Glad I remembered it’s taco night.” Niall says watching some football game he found on the flat screen. Liam glances at Louis from behind the fridge door towards the sofa, the brunette smiles innocently him, and blows a kiss at him. Liam can’t help thinking that he’s a cheeky bastard, and he’s only known him for less than an hour. 

Liam looks at the time on the clock above the fridge — 6:30pm, and dinner not even started, he doesn’t like frying at night, so he’ll need to speed up now since he’s to make a lot more than he intended. Or he’ll just need more help…if they’re here expecting goods might as well make them work for it. 

“Well, then you can help me set up the stations for the taco’s then or no food!” he exclaims throwing some vegetables onto counter and taking out some packaged meat out of the fridge. They all groan but head into the kitchen, well Harry tries to come in but Liam sends him out into the living. He’ll never forget the lad burning water as it burned out one of his favorite pots, so he guesses it better to play it safe rather than take his chances; and does so by giving Harry table preparation duty. 

He sets up Louis and Niall with chopping most of the vegetable as he seasons and fries the meat(s), soft taco’s, and even fries a couple eggs with some left over oil (Harry likes eggs on his soft taco every now and then). And its by 7:20pm when they’re setting up the table in the living room for movie night, and he’s hands deep in a large bowl of guac that Harry answers the door and Zayn comes in. 

“‘ 'ello, Zayn” greets Harry, “We’re having Taco’s, want some?” The question is ever polite but nonchalant as the lad strolls away in his boxer briefs, towards the couch, not even bothering to lock the door or hear the other mans answer. Liam looks up when Zayn enters the living room and just rolls his eyes when he sees Louis, wearing boxers only. A nod in Niall’s direction is his greeting before an amused scowl takes over his face as he views Louis lazing on the third seat of couch, feet in Harry’s lap. 

“Really, you couldn’t wear your own boxers, mate (Liam winces at this because the word can be taken in two different ways).” 

“It was last minute invite Zaynie, you should consider yourself lucky to be enjoying taco night with us. Right, Liam?” Liam was right Louis is great time to be around, it’s just when he’s not being an cheeky arse to him he discovers. 

Liam looks directly at the spiced green mush he’s stirring with his lucky wooden spoon, as he hums in response to the feeling of eyes burning on his face. He's up ready to put the utensils away ( he decided screw it later and leaves it in, Niall can lick the left overs off) when he’s once again gazing into Zayn’s eyes as the zap tattooed man draws him into a conversation.

“I’m sorry that Lou is such a bother, yeah. If I had known he’d basically make you cook for him. I’d never let him come take advantage.” The words come with one of those expressive Zayn faces that he likes and he sort of melts since it has cute pout with it.

Liam goes to open his mouth but stirs extra harder at the squeak that comes out instead of the words “Don’t worry about it”.

Harry being the best friend ever that he is, answers for him patting the only unoccupied seat beside him in an invitation to Zayn who quite pointedly refuses by sitting on the ground near it instead. Somehow Liam has the feeling that Zayn doesn’t like Harry much, which kind of makes sense since he flashed him the first time he met him, oh and that his boyfriend is really flirty with him too.

“It’s fine. Liam is the cook of the house, and he’s studying to be a chef. It’s all top notch nosh eh. You should see’em when he’s professionally serious.” His dimples come out as he beams at Liam proud. 

It’s also another one of the reasons why Liam’s loves Harry so much; no matter what, no matter how small, if its an accomplishment for someone who knows, especially Liam. He’ll boast about it dimples out and genuine. So, when he told Harry he spoke to Zayn in the lift, he had given Liam a naked hug (no longer weird anymore after many years) and said he was proud of him.

Speaking of talking to Zayn, the lad had stripped off his leather jacket tossing it at Louis, wearing some variation of the outfit from yesterday with blue socks as he opened his mouth to talk to Liam.

“So you made everything, here then by yourself. You must be talented since its looks and smells delicious” a small smile on his face as Liam bites his lip to stop it from revealing a big old grin. People lie kids, flattery will get you everywhere..even Liam pants. 

“Oi, don’t go discounting me and Lou here, Li. We helped chop up most of these vegetables, a right good team we were.” says the Irish lad drinking another beer. The bottle blonde blows a kiss at Louis, who winks in response, before making grabby hands at the guac that Liam ignores. 

“I couldn’t Ni, not when the lettuce looks chopped by a five years old, Louis’s masterpiece I take?” with the remark come Niall’s barking laugh and Zayn’s teasing smile.

“Oh shut up, Zayn” the boxer clad omega says throwing a half-eaten chip at Zayn. Who grimaces before flicking it at Niall, who unsparingly dips it in salsa and eats it.

Liam sits down beside Harry on the couch placing the guac in front of him out of the Niall’s reach as he exclaims.

“Let’s eat!”

And don’t they, Zayn makes most of his taco’s with beef and chicken or even a fried egg (which makes Harry smile before he hoards the rest of them on his plate in an act of territorial Alpha feelings). He notices Louis keeps asking for more chips and guac rather than tacos and later ends up eating half the bowl for which Niall cusses him out for since it was a big bowl. And Niall just eats anything he gets his hands on in a happy manner. All in all Liam’s gets one or two bites from Harry’s plate (since he likes to hand feed him food he thinks Liam would like) but he’s not really hungry. He’s kind of content just watching people eat his creation. And its time like this that he feels that he hasn’t fucked up choosing to study culinary instead of becoming an accountant like his father wanted. 

 

It’s 10pm by the time the food is all gone (and he means all gone, Niall licked the bottom of the guac bowl to piss Louis off when asked for the last scraps for his last chip) and they’re arguing about which movie to watch. Louis votes a thriller like Inception (because "we should want our minds fucked up for the whole night” he adds a toothy smile that makes them say no), Harry notes for a romcom (Love Actually in fact, which makes Liam hit him in the face with the nearest throw pillow), and Niall votes for the documentary on The Wanted ("a comedy is always great after a meal” a cheeky smile on his face).  But It’s Zayn’s choice that has Liam thinking that this man is once again not human as it is not real to be that perfect. 

“Batman: George Clooney version. I’m telling you it fucks with your mind, has a little romance between people, and terribly funny that it’s hilarious.” Harry nudges Liam in the sides as he lays a hand behind him in his usual clinginess. 

Liam takes a deep breath and Harry squeezes his shoulder for strength. A thing Harry has done since they were ten years old, he even did it right before Liam graduated, ran from his seat and rubbed his shoulders till he got up on stage as valedictorian.

“Can we watch Batman, yeah? It’s one of my favorites” He says quietly, as if to not bring attention to himself from the blue socked man in front of him. Niall shrugged with a “Sure, mate”, Louis with a “well George is fit, yeah”, and Harry with a quick hair ruffle that ends when Louis hands him the remote to queue it up.

Zayn just turns backwards and stares at Liam opened mouth, “You like Batman" he says as if suspicious. Liam pursues his lips feeling slightly insulted.

“What an omega can’t like anything else but cooking and sewing?” If he answers yes, Liam will seriously kick his ass with his batman belt, hot or not.

“What!? No, its just that most people say that they are like fans, but aren’t really up to watching Batman for Batman. They watch it for the fit actors half the time.” Zayn throws half a glance at Louis, who flips him off in response. But Liam is too heated up to not defend himself, call him a lot of thing but never call him not a true Batman fan. Bloody insulting when you spent more than half your life reading comics. Harry just snickers into his hand as he notices the fire in his best friends eyes. 

"Stephanie Brown” Liam says as Zayn shuts his mouth eyes widening, “Female Robin and my favorite Robin. She first appears in Robin issue #126 out in July 2004, one of my very favorite comics that it stays in the special draw for regularly read comics in my desk. She was the only Robin that never got a funeral and-“

“Died from torture which was a controversy at them time. She later appeared in Batgirl before it was cancelled and Barbra replaced her” Zayn looked like he was in awe of Liam, who leaned against Harry pleased (oblivious of the annoyed twitch that came from Zayn’s left eyebrow because of that). 

“You said you have the comic, is it just the one or more?” 

“I have comics, a bunch of movies (both Marvel and DC), some weird fan merch I got at San Diego Comic Con last year. Oh and I have a replicated of Batman’s belt” Liam smile widely at the last part, it was a Christmas gift from both his sisters, made in his size and weighing heavily with actual functioning compartments. It was one of his favorite possessions. 

Zayn opened his mouth only to respond only to get loudly shushed by Louis who throws a blanket at his face.

“Shut up, the movies about to start you nerds” Louis said teasingly as snuggled up against one side of Harry. Liam shrugged and snuggled on the other as Harry wraps an arm around both omega’s. 

Zayn glared at Louis (and a little at Harry if he was honest) as he rest back against the sofa and blanket covering his frame. He leans back enough to feel the hard steadiness of Liam’s legs, and at this moment Zayn started plotting.

 

—

 

“You want to bang, Liam!”

Or he asked Louis to help him out because Zayn sucks at plotting anything other than Tattoo designs and articles for work. 

 Zayn watched his omega bestfriend practically stomps over to their brown leather couch, melodramatic should be his next staring play from the way he acts so well, as he huffed and fell across it with the palm of his hands covering his eyes. They had finished the movie at around 1am and left soon after since everyone had work the next day (it was tuseday night after all), only Niall stayed back after he had ordered a pizza (“it’s me snack mates”) and said he wanted to have breakfast at Liam’s tomorrow. 

Louis would have stayed too, if Zayn hadn’t have reminded him that he needed to be up by 8am to catch the bus to the theater since Zayn’s car was in the shop. He had been in a melodramatic mood since then, groaning and moaning about how life is unfair and that maybe Harry would have took a shower early in the morning and possibly forgotten briefs. 

“NOooooooooooooooooo, Zayn you can’t. What if you fail and it calls a rift between Harry and me” Louis is pratically pleading with a pout as he looks at Zayn with the perfected innocence of an actor. 

Seriously though, Zayn thought that Louis would be okay with this wooing Liam plan since he of course is having some type of thing with Liam’s roommate/bestfriend (or partner, which he really hopes is not romantic).

“No, I don’t want to bang him, I want to date, i want to be exclusive, i want to-“ 

“You want to woo him” came the Yorkshire drawl of his friend. Zayn huffed, he hated when Louis was like this he was kind of being an...

“Ass. Look if you don’t want to help me get the mate of my dreams then you can suffer knowing that the two next door we’ll be attached by the hip for life soon.”

Louis seems to shut up with that, sitting up and giving Zayn a curious look. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the two’s inner Alpha and Inner Omega instincts look so attached that only the humans haven’t mated yet. It’s bound to be one rut or heat that draws them together.”  And Zayn had a good feeling about this happening, his instincts were telling that this might be his last shot at the perfect mate, he knew when he felt that spark go through the two of them in the lift that Liam was meant for him. And he wasn’t going down without a fight.

And he must have looked very determined that even Louis put on his serious face when he answered with 

“Here’s the plan"

—

Attempt 1: Wednesday

Liam had just gotten home (well inside the building, but that counts) from work ( a restaurant where he was doing his paid apprenticeship) and was even wearing his chef robes still. He smelled like duck à l’orange and felt like shit because his arms were tired from cleaning up today’s dishes by himself. Sometimes he wondered why they had so many pots and 1 scrubber, then he realized that sometimes people are cheap bastards.  Secretly, he vowed to have a bucket of scrubbers near the pots in his restaurant when the time came.

He snorted as he got in the lift, that’ll be a dream come true if he even makes it past the apprenticeship stage. He wasn’t usually this self-depreciating, only when he was tired and sometimes sad. Fortunately, he wasn’t either for too long because he was shocked out of it when an arm push out between the closing lift doors. 

“Wait, bloody hell.” huff “god, this why I don’t exercise, ever” came the out of breath voice of Zayn. The man was dressed in his usual leather jacket, but was wearing sandals and sweats instead of jeans and boots. A pair of aviators on his face as stretched a bit before getting in beside Liam. The Alpha smelled of cigarette ash and weird mix of spiced cologne, Liam deemed this his new favorite scent. 

Liam also chose to ignore that it was 8pm and that only douchebags wear glasses at night. He chose to ignore a lot for Zayn of course. 

“Li, hi.” came from the Alpha with a small smile, he looked sort of pleased to see Liam again. He went in for a hug, but Liam backed away with a little hesitation.

“I smell like orange duck and feel like sweaty garbage” was his response to the pursed lips of the Alpha. Changing the subject quickly, Liam pressed number 5 on the lift and waited for it to start. 

“How was your day?” came the Alpha again, he was trying to start a conversation that he could ask out Liam in. (“it’s not the 1800’s, ask Liam out on a date knobhead” was Louis’s response of a plan)

“Not bad actually. I got to debone a chicken in under five minutes, my best time yet” And Liam smiled wide at that fact. His co-workers gave him a round of applause today. It wasn’t everyday that someone could do that on a 10 seconds chef yell with no preparation. He just went at it with all he got and it came out well.

“Really? I thought that only happened in movies?” 

“No, it’s a legitimate thing we really have to be prepared for. Say you have a guest that just came in and says they need a whole grilled chicken strips in under 30 minutes and your out of boneless then your need to start carving fast. Though seeing it in a movie probably made me want to perfect it..I’m kind of a sucker for cooking movies. Always trying to learn yeah” 

“That reminds me, have your heard of the new one coming out on Friday, its supposed to be amazing according to my friends from work” 

“Yes, I have I’ve been wanting to go for the premiere, but Harry is busy Friday night and I can’t find someone.” 

Liam frowned a little at the fact though he could understand why. Harry did have class and a more than possible date on Friday (he was going out tonight for a trial date for Friday he explained this morning), so even if he did try to rush to get them to the late night showing, he might be too tired to even drive them home by the end of it. So, Liam said no when Harry tried to rush them into going, he cared about safety and Harry’s wellbeing more than a little fun on a Friday night.

Zayn smiled widely, this was his chance, the perfect first date for him and his potential mate. Nervously, he blew out a breath before jumping in.

“Well, then how about we-” “going down” “-what?”

Zayn looked confused as the lift brought back down to the ground floor of the apartment, he then got annoyed at who was at the door waiting for them dressed in an open buttoned down shirt and painted on black jeans. 

“ ‘ello, Zayn” came the low voice of Harry as he walked into the lift and placed an arm around Liam’s waist. “Li” came his whisper as he nuzzled into the omegas neck. “You smell like orange duck” 

Liam squirmed against his best friends nose scent marking him. Harry did this a lot when they were teens, so it only make him uncomfortable now when he does in front of semi strangers (like Zayn or that girl from the coffee shop who judgementally stares whenever he orders decaf) or traditional old people who gave them dirty looks (sometimes Harry would pretend to mate bite him to piss off the old people even more). 

For him to do this now meant he had a bad day and was in need to comfort or just drunk like the light weight he was. So, Liam automatically tuned in on him, asking him about his day, and later nuzzling back. He didn’t even remember Zayn was there beside them until they hit the fifth floor and the other Alpha had cleared his throat. 

“Guys, we’re here. On the fifth floor” was his only statement as he waited for the pair to move out before him. They all walked quietly towards their apartment doors while Harry stuck to Liam’s back like a clingy koala on a tree. They all said their goodbyes and wished each other goodnight. 

Zayn waited until he was inside his apartment before hitting his head on the shoe closet door. Louis came into this greeting wearing casual formal clothes and whistling a tune. Only looking on while Zayn hurt himself with mild interest. 

“So, you asked him and he said no?” was his only question to the red forehead Alpha, who stopped to answer him.

Zayn sighed, “No, I went to ask him and Harry hoped on the lift and started scent marking him.” Louis startled cackling as he walked away calling out over his shoulder:

“Back to the drawing board then” 

Sometimes, Zayn wondered why he was friends with Louis

\---

Attempt 2: Thursday

Zayn knows why he is friends with Louis now. 

Because though he’s rude and sometimes makes fun of his inner problems, he’s always there for him to help him out. 

Which is why he goes along with Louis plan number 2: Ask him for a cup of sugar (“you bloody tosser” he murmured after).

Zayn had come into the kitchen after work to see Louis making a cake (or as Zayn would call it hospital trip number 4) and he told Zayn to ask Liam for a cup of sugar and maybe a date. Winking in that ridiculous way that made him seem hot to others, but look like cheeky brat to Zayn. 

So, he walked across the 3 feet separating him and Liam, knocked on the lads door and was told to come in from a yell inside. 

So, he did and what he found made him want to smash the mug in hand and walk back out. 

Harry and Liam were laying on the couch together on top of one another. Harry was the only one conscious as the even breath of Liam back as he snuggled into Harry’s chest was his answer to a hey. They looked so good together and Zayn sort of felt like a right bastard for disturbing them for sugar. 

But he still wanted his sugar and more. 

“Harry, Louis’s making cake but he needs the sugar mind getting it.” Maybe Zayn could write a note and put it in Liam’s pocket asking him out while Harry looked. 

Harry only frowned in response with a shake of his head, “I don’t even know where the tea is Zayn, Liam keeps a very organized kitchen and since I’m band from most things other than the fridge. I don’t want him to get angry. How about you just ask him?”

“No, its fine. Harry we’ll just buy some more.” Zayn tried to escape this situation it wasn’t playing out like he thought it would; a cup of sugar, a date, and maybe a cheek kiss. Now he was just disturbing the sleeping omega for something trivial especially since he noticed the rings around his eyes.

But it was too late to run as Harry started rubbing the omegas back and whisper “Liam” on repeat. Zayn thought that he could half just shook him instead acting like a proper mate. But that was burned from his mind when the omega sat up and rubbed his eyes in a fit to stay awake.

“Zayn?” He yawned out, “What are you doing here?” 

“Oh, um. Louis’s making a cake and was wondering if he could borrow some sugar.” Damn you Harry for making him see something adorable as this, now he feels like even more of an asshole for waking Liam up. The omega looked a little pale and was in turn leaning on Harry to keep him up, which of course the Alpha was nuzzling again into his neck. Its like he wanted to sabotage Zayn’s nonexistent relationship before it even bloody started. 

The omega nodded and walked into the kitchen pulling out a large container label “sugar” from the first shelf he saw. Zayn stared blankly at the other Alpha who only rolled onto his stomach in only his boxer briefs. 

“So what kind of cake is he making?” Came Liam’s voice as he put some sugar in a small sugar shaker labeled ‘Liam’s please hand back after use’. Seems like he lent out supplies a lot if he had his own sugar shaker. 

“Um, a lemon cake I guess” He answered, truthfully he didn’t know anything as all he saw was that Louis had lemons on the counter beside him before he left.

“Huh, he could have used honey you know. Makes it taste less granulated and is a little more healthy. Well, as healthy as cake can be.” Was Liam’s reply as he placed his things away. Zayn felt his neck started to sweat with nerves as he prepared to ask Liam out. He was about to open his mouth when Louis screamed from the front door of Liam’s apartment. The one he left wide open by accident in his excitement. The one he should have locked for fear of being cockblocked.

“Zayn! Did he say yes?” was his question as the omega walked in hand in his hair. All flair even with mess on him. Louis glanced around the apartment, poking Harry in the back as greeting on his walk towards Liam. Louis looked like a down right mess, flour in his hair and batter on his shirt, but he still somehow managed to be the only one not half-dead so he won the style battle, which he named being better looking than everyone in a room, as usual. 

“Did you say yes?” He asked him instead of greeting. Zayn slapped his facepalmed in annoyance as Liam gave Zayn a questioning look. 

“Say yes to what?” questioned Liam as Louis ran a thumb under the other omega’s eyes. He then proceeded to give Zayn a “Really? You can’t do anything can you?"  

“You look tired, babe. You might need a nap to get rid of this luggage you call eyebags.” Was Louis response, he took the sugar container from Liam and dragged Zayn out by the back of his shirt. 

Zayn waved goodbye at Liam as attempt 2 of get a date with Liam came to a sad end of failure. 

“Try again Malik,” were Louis’s encouraging words as he left him standing in their apartment foyer. Sugar container gone with him. 'Probably about to destroy the oven again’ Zayn thought bitterly. 

“At least I’ll die from from food poisoning instead of giving up” was he sad whisper.

 

——

Attempt 3: Friday

Zayn didn’t die.

Louis had somehow managed to make lemon cupcakes and make them taste quite delicious. He sort of pissed off Zayn with his ability to get something right on the first try, but he shrugged that off when they ate a whole dozen (the journalist in him groaned at this phrase) while watching Ru Paul on TV till 3am. A thing they both hadn’t done since college in their dorm rooms when either one had been dumped or just bored, it felt nice they could still do it as adults (well twenty year olds) now. 

Zayn hadn’t seen Liam for the whole day (not in the morning, even when he went home for lunch, or that odd run back to the building for his “favorite” pen) since yesterday when he ruined the poor lads nap. And now he was kind of dreading seeing Liam since he knew that he’d start bawling apologies and then fail to ask him out again. In fact Zayn was thinking maybe they should move and only tell Niall they’re address, but he loved his apartment too much for that. So, he soldiered on and that this would be the last time he tried to ask Liam out. 

And it seems that Zayn had the worst luck ever since he caught the sight of Liam waiting across the street in his chef outfit and matching black messenger bag right after he vowed that. Zayn paused to take in the beautiful sight. 

Liam looked better, significantly better than he’d ever saw the lad. His hair was in the perfect quiff, his skin was glowing, his uniform was clean and most of all the man was smiling. A smile Zayn had never seen again, granted he’d only known the boy for three days, but Zayn wanted that beautiful smile to grace his presence everyday for the rest of his life if he could. All teeth and shine with eye crinkles to boot, Zayn was locked in a proper fantasy as the man hummed to a pop song. 

Zayn didn’t even remember jaywalking across the street and he didn’t even remember getting within three feet of Liam’s body, but all he knew was that the street light above them was the perfect atmosphere to ask someone out: so tried. 

Key word: tried

Meaning he tapped on Liam’s shoulder, put on his best smile (the small one his mother always told him could get him the world if he asked), and whispered the words “Hi, I’m wondering-“. 

But then was drowned out by the loud sound of “Style” by Taylor Swift coming down the road and stopping right in front of them as Harry “Cockblock” Styles  rolled down the window in a fucking range rover. 

A FUCKING RANGE ROVER.

NO YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG ZAYN HAS BLOODY WANTED A RANGE ROVER THIS WAS LIKE PUTTING SALT INTO HIS EYES AFTER HALF THEM SPRAYED WITH VINEGAR. 

UPSETTING AND ACIDIC.

And Liam, good sweet beautiful Liam, then offers him a ride home as Harry makes the lad ride up front (“Shotgun for my Liam” said the bloody monster) as he sits in the back watching the two of them be bloody domestic in front of him.

("No, Hazza. I don’t want Chinese food. Why can’t we order Thai?”

“Because if we order Thai, you won’t eat most of the spicy curry, and you look a bit thin babe, yeah”

Pouting occurs, “But you like Thai, and I’m in the mood to thank you for picking me up”

Frowning occurs, “No need to thank me mate (Zayn winces here because that can be taken in two different ways). I’ll always be there for you since your important”

Beauatiful smile occurs from beautiful person, “Thank you Hazza” and then to Zayn’s sadness a cheek kiss.)

You can be right sure that when the car stopped and they were parking that Zayn made an excuse about Louis needing him and then ate five pints of ice cream while waiting for Louis to come home to help him finish off the last three pints. 

All in all Zayn is copping with the failure of attempt 3: The final, pretty well.

 

\---

 

Saturday: Louis almost gets them evicted

Like the sub title say, Louis almost gets them evicted in order to prove to Zayn a point. Or help him or maybe even humiliate him cause he’s a bastard, but he does almost get them evicted and the firefighters now blacklisted them for a year. 

Anyway, it’s 2pm when Zayn finally decides to wake up from his fetal position in front of the couch (he’s so sad and ice cream filled that he couldn’t make it to his bedroom last night). He’s sore with a right crick in his neck, his breath stinks like mint-chocolate chips which is stupid because he hates that flavour and only ate chunky monkey, and his phone is ringing of the hook playing some sad song (He’s briefly wonders when he downloaded, Leona Lewis’s whole first album when he checks his phone later in the evening). He’s so frustrated and sad that he even snaps into his phone like the person on the other end insulted his mother. 

“WHAT! YOU BLOODY TWAT!” are the first things to come out of his mouth. 

“…hi..I didn’t mean to disturb you it’s just that…” comes the sweet melodic voice of his one true heartbreak, Liam. And now Zayn feels like a disgustingly sad and mean monster that just attacked a puppy. He’s a puppy kicker now he supposed on top of a failure. 

“Oh no-Liam. Sorry, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. If I knew this was you, I would have not, I wouldn’t have been such an ass”. 

Zayn listens for the light breath that tells him Liam is still on the line listening to him and thankfully the omega is. 

“No, it’s understandable. You look quite tired last night. Harry mentioned that I should maybe make you some of my favorite tea to calm you down. But I currently don’t have the leaves to make it now. Maybe next week yeah?” He hums like he’s writing that down somewhere. And Zayn can sort of see him writing it down on his fridge with a little subtle smiley at the end. It makes Zayn sort of intrigued that Liam is willing to do this for a man who just yelled at him like he stole his only protein bar in a zombie apocalypse.  He wants to apologized again, but he blurts out is:

“You make tea?” 

There’s chuckling and giggling in the phone as he imagine Liam twirling the cord, and yes it’s overly girl but he kind of like to pretend that if Liam had a crush on him back and that he would do this sort of thing. It’s his bloody fantasy so piss off. 

 “Yeah, Niall signed me up for a classes last Christmas and it sort of stuck. Now we don’t even by our own tea anymore, we keep the ingredients and I make the type I need when I want it. It’s become a hobby of mine."

Zayn’s wants to ask more about this and even inquire if he can come over and watch Liam make him special tea, there’s probably a Japanese geisha fantasy in there as well. When he realizes that his roommate and bestfriend is missing and that Liam just doesn’t call him up for tea chats. 

“So, why’d you call Li?”

“OH. Yes. Um, Louis took Harry to the rooftop an hour ago and they had a bag with them marked ‘Fun’ in big bright letters. So, I got worried when Harry ignored my text and called you from Louis’s phone since he left it here. Should I be worried?"

Zayn is horrified and he means like Mom caught me jacking off to porn horrified (which almost did happened and the flashbacks make him cringe with what is akin to terror now). If Louis took out the ‘Fun’ bag Zayn knows he’s about to do something stupid and jail worthy. So, he instead hangs up and rushes over to Liam’s, which is unlocked by the way so not very safe, and is basically carrying him to the lift before he say’s a word. He doesn’t think he can explain the thing’s Liam about to see without having him miss seeing them. Because in that bag is not some happy toy kite or even a helicopter plane.

It’s a shit ton of fireworks, he means like the kind that they use in stadium events and festivals. The kinds that will legitimate start fires if not safely tested, which they were not since Louis slipped them from his cousin’s (who is a tester in Doncaster) backpack at two thanksgivings ago, so not only are they flammable but very old too. 

Zayn can’t even fully comprehend words when he hits the rooftop as it’s no longer a roof but in fact the death place of all five of them, since Niall the lonely bastard is eating a bucket of chicken while sitting in lawn chair instead of calling the police or better yet Zayn to put a stop to this. But if this isn’t enough Harry has saw them and like always only says a greeting like life’s all bloody dandy and that he’s the best thing since hipsters chia tea.

“ ‘ello Zayn” he says with a cheeky grin (but really it’s really a normal one, but it doesn’t make Zayn not want to punch it off) and arm around Louis who looks ways too proud of going to jail soon. 

“What the fuck is going on here?”

Everyone kind of blanks at that since it doesn’t come from Louis (who obviously knows whats going on, since he’s the mastermind), it doesn’t come from Niall (who seems to be drinking his way through a six pack of beer now), nor Harry (who just seems to be the accomplice to Louis) and not even Zayn (whose room Louis broke into to get when he confiscated them the minute he saw them). No, it comes from Liam, sweet, cute funny and strong Liam, that look about ready to tear everyone in half and then flambé them for five course meal. 

Zayn hastily step away when even Niall looked like he was about to piss his pants. 

“HARRY EDWARD STYLES!. I can’t believe that you thought to do something so mindless and stupid and just plain idiotic enough to set fireworks off on the building on we live in” Liam starts marching towards the other boy and nearly knees him in the crouch before Louis grabs a hold of him (“watch the goods” he screeches), a big mistake on his part as that started off Liam on him.

“AND YOU! This came from your apartment and you bloody came to my apartment to get help for this fatality. You realize you can go to jail for this. Do you think you would even last a day in jail!?” 

Louis actually blanks at this before letting terror overcome his face, pretty omega and pretty face doesn’t do well in jail is what he gets from the facial remark. But Liam’s not done yet he’s rounds on Niall with a statement of “STOP EATING YOU BLOODY VACUUM. This is not the time to be eating your terrible last meal of friend chicken and cheap warm beer.” 

Zayn thinks he’s almost done when the enraged omega turns towards him with fire in his eyes, “YOU!”

He practically stomps up into Zayn’s personal space and starts poking him in the chest. 

“Your. Supposed. To. Be. The. One. Who Handles! Your Best Friend! What you thought you could just hide it from him and he’d forget. He’s a cheeky bastard they never forget!”

“Liam, this is not so bad of a problem. Calm down we can fix it. What can I do to make you calm down?” Zayn is starting to see frustrating tears occur at the omega eyes and he knows those are the type that literally mean you disappointed and helpless and so very angry. And Zayn just feels bad for not throwing these fireworks away when he found them.

“There's nothing you can say that can make me cool down from this pure show of stupidity that is surrounding me. I mean look at it, it’s like a hundred blood missiles aimed at the same spot in the sky, it doesn’t make any sense already, what they’re supposed to blow up in the same exact spot and create a rainbow of pretty colors!? WHO THE HELL THOUGHT OF THIS!” 

Zayn takes notice of how the other three all look sideways away from each other in faux innocent fashion. Since he’s mad enough Zayn barely thinks that saying something to him might even stop his rant so he decides to selfishly get closure when Liam’s almost yelling at the sky about how disappointed he is.

“I really like you!” he basically yells back at Liam, which makes him blank out since he meant to whisper it not yell, but he doesn’t stop cause Liam pink face is slackjawwed and he’s stopped mid rant. And he’s dug himself this far, might as well bury himself in the grave and wait for water to fill it. So he closes his eyes and goes for it. 

"You cook and your passionate about it, Your like the nicest person ever, your make your own tea, and you like Batman and comics and everything to do with nerdy stuff that basically helped raised me. You have the most beautiful smile that sometimes makes me want to cry from how pretty it is. Your tough and pretty hot when your angry. Your caring since your basically yelling at us for almost killing everyone but putting emphasis on us. And your like everything i ever wanted in a mate plus more yeah."

He opens his eyes to see Louis basically smirking at him like he planned this shit, Harry looking kind of dazed (with his arm still around Louis’s waist) and Niall just seems kind of unfazed by the way he’s eating his bucket of chicken again. It’s only Liam that look likes he about to faint from going so red.

“Zayn…”  is like the only word he hears out of Liam's mouth before he literally jumps on him and kisses the living daylights out of him. He can recall hearing wolf whistles and cat calls in the background, but he’s pretty sure that he passed out twice from "happy shock” halfway that his tongue was in Liam’s mouth and the other time happening when the police literally kicks down the roof top doors, with the owner of building in tow as they proceed to try to arrest Louis and Harry who are in the middle of the fireworks. 

Seems like Niall was the only responsible one to report that he and his friends 'Found a mass amount of illegal fireworks on their rooftop building and that they would be babysitting them until the proper people arrived to collect them, yeah’.

 

\---

 

Sunday: RomCom Sunday

 

They all kind of chill out and drink cold beer watching Love Actually again and again on repeat till Louis threatens to burn the copy and never kiss Harry again. Then they watch something mindless and then just turn it off to talk or rather listen to Niall complain about being the only single person in this group. 

Which is apparently true (and not a dream like he thought this morning after waking up in this apartment with Liam clinging to him like a koala) since he is currently ‘dating’ (he say’s this tentatively as they have yet to even go on their first date) Liam and that Louis and Harry have been dating for the past week officially. 

Which kind of annoys, or if he’s being honest infuriates, him since he’s been basically whining about Harry to Louis and the arse knew that the other Alpha had no interest in his omega. And then just let him Ice-cream coma himself in order to just watch reruns with Zayn and then letting him buy that album for fun. 

Zayn should have kicked his ass when he found all this out but he doesn’t since his omega stops him with a pout and "at least you got me in the end". 

sigh….. feels nice to say that his omega, you know since Liam agreed to be his after the rooftop make out. 

Anyway turns out that each time one of his attempts that had been cockblocked was because Harry was getting back out from a date with Louis or basically Harry being really Louis involved to do anything but focus on Louis. 

Attempt 1: They had gone out to dinner and Louis was kind of tired from the wine that he let Louis drive and park the car while he let Liam put him to bed.  

Attempt 2: Harry was sort of stuck on rambling to Liam about Louis to six am in the morning that he caused himself and Liam which resulted in extreme laziness and sleep deprivation that they both took a day off . 

And the 3rd attempt’s cockblock had come from Harry having dropped Louis off at home and then making a roundabout to Liam’s workplace (which he worked all day since to make up for missing yesterday) since he was feeling particularly nice that evening. "Liam didn’t even call me to ask, just being with Louis put me in a nice mood” he explained to blush on Louis’s face. In the end it all came down to Louis somehow being the result of a major cockblock to his now existent relationship. 

And Zayn wasn’t that resentful about this either. 

In fact if Zayn was a lesser person he would have cockblocked Louis on purpose, but instead he just put itching powder in his favourite skinny jeans and called it even when the bloke couldn’t have sex for a week the next month due to the rash he got, then it was a total bonus. 

And if he Zayn had to snuggle in bed with Liam for fear of getting his hair buzzed off at home, well then he pleasantly suffered through this with a bright smile everyday for that week. 

He also found out that Liam had also been crushing on Zayn and that apparently he used to called him Hot 5b (like the rest of building he finds out when a grandmother on the fourth flour tell Liam that he was smart to snatch up Hot 5b from that Louis Boy)  and thought he didn’t have chance with him even after Harry said he was dating Louis. Zayn telling him he liked him made him literally burst from joy since he felt this spark in the lift when Zayn touched his hand and kind of felt like they had a connection between them. Zayn didn’t bother to hide the tears in his eyes when Liam told him that he knows that Zayn is gonna be the perfect alpha for him.  

He doesn’t even care that all the other guys take the piss out of him for the rest of day about it, since Liam basically sits in his lap and nuzzles into his neck like he was made to fit there.

Legitimately, Zayn knows he’s found the perfect mate for him right then. 

 

\----

 

Epilogue: Date Night

 

It’s their first date night when Zayn finally gets his car back, his purple Lexus that he basically saved seven years for since the age of seventeen. He kind of feels like an asshole for putting it down over that Range Rover that Friday night. Like yeah it might be a little more eye catching, purple was the only color he could get it in for his price range, but she took care of him like a son and the insurance wasn’t as bad as most people thought it would for a luxury car. 

Liam seems to love his car too since he basically squeals before cheek kissing him and hoping in the passenger seat with open admiration glowing on his face. He even wonders why this happens anyway, so he asks when they’re on their way to dinner (burgers and milkshake at a diner, Yeah it’s sort of weird since Zayn’s done his hair in a greaser style and wearing his lucky leather jacket, but Louis can shove it since it gets him the "Beautiful Smile” and a car top make out”)

“Hey, why’d you look so happy about my Lex. I mean you ride in Range Rover daily. Technically, you have a more luxurious car right now?” And Zayn can feel the blush on his cheeks try to take over his face when Liam places his hand over Zayn’s when he switches gears.

"Yeah, I love Harry’s range rover and all since it is our first car. But I kind of like the sleek smoothness of a Lexus especially one in me favorite color”

“Seriously, purples your favorite color?” and call Zayn a cliche but he knows that this must have been fate in the making for a seven year old decisions help him snag his mate a little further. 

“Yeah, and it’s also not my favorite thing here” says Liam as he bite his lip and runs his finger tips down to Zayn’s elbows. 

And with those words Zayn knows that this thing they have going on might go on forever just because of this one moment. 


End file.
